No PCC ruling over Guardian story of Blair place at Oxford

The press complaints commission has decided it cannot rule on whether the Guardian breached the newspaper code of practice by revealing that the prime minister's son Euan Blair had been offered a conditional place at Oxford University.

In a letter to the Guardian, the PCC said it would make no ruling unless it received a complaint from those affected by the story.

Michael Beloff QC, president of Trinity College, made the disclosure about Euan Blair in an interview in June. After Downing Street pointed out that the PCC had previously ruled against other newspapers for printing details of his univer sity application, the Guardian agreed to refer the matter voluntarily to the commission.

Robert Pinker, the commission's acting chairman, said in his letter to the Guardian's editor, Alan Rusbridger: "As a complaints body the commission's job is to react to complaints that are brought to us by the people directly affected ... and try to resolve them accordingly. It cannot stretch its remit by considering complaints from people who do not fit into this category."

He pointed out that the commission had ruled against the Daily Telegraph for revealing the university application. "You may conclude that the publication also falls into this category but that is a matter of judgment for you as an editor." When the Guardian referred the matter to the PCC, Mr Rusbridger said it was "legitimate" for Mr Beloff to be given the opportunity to comment on the suggestion by the Telegraph this year that he would be able to influence the selection process. He is a friend of Euan's mother, Cherie Blair.